The Audition: book the room

More top tips from the Hollywood Hills on booking that next job (and remember, over here in the US we call these torture sessions auditions, not castings!)

Now remember, the casting director wants you to nail it. Why? Because that makes their job easier. When they find the perfect actor for the job, their job is done.

These days, casting directors may receive a thousand submissions for one small role. True Story. So never take anything personally – be glad you were given an audition, as this is a chance to do your best and to “book the room”. Booking the room means that they know and like you enough to bring you back in again, even if it doesn’t work out to book a job this time.

How else can you make the casting director’s life easier? If the casting team initiates a chat, you can be friendly, but keep your answers brief and simple. You’re not there to make best friends or have a big chit-chat. They’re looking to get a sense of who you are, which is usually pretty clear within seconds!

They also trust you to be a professional, who researches the style and tone of the show or director you’re auditioning for. That includes researching the people in the room: the director, producers, writers. And a professional actor only asks the most pertinent questions, relevant to an informed reading. Otherwise, just get to the reading, take their notes, make adjustments in your 2nd and 3rd read, and then…get out of the room!

Gaby’s Top Tip: ALWAYS hold your sides in your hand, and turn the pages as you go along, so that if your nerves kick in, you’re easily able to pick up wherever you lost your lines, and not break out of the scene. Casting assumes you have the ability to memorise a script in time for the job, so don’t be a hero and try to do the audition without the script in hand. You may never have to refer to it once, but that’s not the point. Keeping a good pace up, with a reader, without stumbling, under pressure, is tricky stuff, for everyone! Having the script in sight, and keeping current with your page turns, will keep everyone feeling more confident that your audition will go smoothly.